Callum Paterson has red card reduced to yellow

BARRY ANDERSON

CALLUM PATERSON today won his appeal against his red card at Hamilton and is free to play for Hearts against Inverness.

A Scottish Football Association disciplinary tribunal met at Hampden Park to review the incident and ruled that Paterson’s tackle on Darian MacKinnon did not merit a sending off. The red card issued by referee Willie Collum for serious foul play has now been reduced to a caution for recklessly dangerous play.

Hearts had lodged an appeal against the red card on Monday and were delighted to see it upheld this afternoon, with head coach Robbie Neilson, director of football Craig Levein and Paterson all in attendance.

As a result, Paterson is now available for next Friday’s trip to the Highlands. The defender had been looking at a two-match suspension as a result of the sending off. Replays of his tackle on MacKinnon proved he won the ball.

The SFA tribunal also censured St Johnstone’s Brad McKay for comments he made about Hearts striker Juanma. The defender was judged to have made an offensive remark about the Spaniard being a “typical foreigner” following St Johnstone’s 4-3 defeat at Tynecastle last month.